Poinsettia plant

ABSTRACT

A poinsettia plant is disclosed suitable for pot growth production which is free branching, with compact growth habits, hardy at relatively cool temperatures, has long bloom, has double flowers resistant to fading, has non-drooping foliage, retains its beauty and life at a temperature range of 50° F. to 60° F. and is a sport of Wonderstar, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,917.

This invention relates to marketable poinsettia plants of the speciesEuphorbia pulcherrima.

The present invention is for a new and distinct variety of poinsettiaplant of the species Euphorbia pulcherrima, produced and originated bycross-breeding two different red seedlings with the definite goal ofcreating a new strong-growing and free-branching poinsettia plantvariety which is hardy at relatively cool temperatures and is a sportfrom Wonderstar, the subject of my U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,917.

In selecting poinsettia plants for breeding, it was a primary objectthat the final result give the horticultural industry a new poinsettiaplant which is commercially desirable. This new poinsettia plant issuitable for pot growth production that would branch freely, have a verycompact habit that would obviate the need for chemical height control,be resistant to "dark spotting" when watered, and be resistant to fadewith changes in temperature. A highly commercially advantageous featureof the invention is that the new poinsettia plant can be grown inrelatively cool temperatures, preferably 58° F., but within a range of50° F. to 60° F. When the plant has bloomed, its beauty and life can beheld for about three months by maintaining the plant at a temperature of50° F. All of these objects were achieved by this distinct new variety.

I have now produced and disclose herein a new, compact plant withdesirable characteristics:

(1) A new plant that has the ability to produce 10 branches from asingle pinched plant without chemical treatment,

(2) A new poinsettia which can be initially raised at 58° F., whichtemperature can be lowered to 50° F. when half bloomed.

(3) A new poinsettia plant which can start blooming before Christmas, asearly as the second week of November, and stay bloomed for three months,all without loose foliage or loose flowers.

(4) A new poinsettia plant which has double flowers which are resistantto fade.

(5) A new poinsettia plant which produces double flowers, asparticularly contrasted with those poinsettia plants which yield singleor triple flowers.

(6) A new poinsettia plant which can be watered without "dark spotting"resulting therefrom.

(7) A new poinsettia plant which has hardy foliage which is resistant todrooping.

(8) A new poinsettia plant which is self-branching.

(9) A new poinsettia plant from which more cuttings can be taken forrooting.

(10) A new poinsettia plant which has faster rooting cuttings.

(11) A new poinsettia plant which has pointed leaves.

(12) A new poinsettia plant which is resistant to bruising and thusbetter adapted for shipping.

(13) A new poinsettia plant which is more compact and has decreasedtendency of the butts to separate.

(14) A new poinsettia plant in which the foliage and flowers retaintheir color for a longer period of time without fading, whether or notthe plant is exposed to the sun.

(15) A new poinsettia plant which has greater resistance to root rot.

The accompanying photograph shows a typical specimen of my new varietywith the colors being reproduced as closely as available photographicmethods can define. The colors in this photograph and appendeddescriptive material are coded from Exotica Horticultural Color Guide,located at pages 37 and 38 of Exotica 3 Pictorial Cyclopedia of ExoticPlants (Century Edition) by Alfred Byrd Graf, published 1970 by RoehrsCompany--Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 74-92881--except wherecommon dictionary significance will be obvious. The Exotica Color Guidedeterminations, as stated at page 38, approximate Maerz and Paul"Dictionary of Color" and Royal Horticultural Society Colour Charts.

The description and photograph are taken from specimens asexuallyreproduced under my direction through natural growth at Perkasie, Pa.,U.S.A.

Growth habit: Upright growth with medium height characteristics suitablefor pot culture, obviating the need for chemical growth regulators. Adistinctive growth characteristic of this plant is its ability toself-branch.

Rooting habit: Very fast. The roots develop within two weeks and are rotresistant.

Temperature: The new poinsettia plant can be grown in cool temperatures,as low as 50° F., preferably 58° F., yielding a hardy, beautiful plant.The highest desired growing temperature is 60° F. The plant can bemaintained or held for three months at a 50° F. temperature.

Blooming season: The new poinsettia plant is a nine week variety,starting mostly in the second week of November.

Foliage: The leaves are spaced about the plant, 10 to 20 leaves or more,and are generally short and pointed, normally described as obovate inappearance (as described in Exotica). The leaf color on mature leaves isforest green (Code No. 77) on the upper side and meadow green (Code No.76) on the underside. The ribs and veins are light. The edge is dark andsmooth with single serrations. The underside is smooth.

Flowers (Cyathia): Each bract is generally pointed in shape, the upperside having a flat texture, and the underside having a smooth texture.The color on each side is blood-red (Code No. 27). Typically the numberof bracts per stem range from 18 to 20. The length of a typical bract,in bloom, is 7 inches, with an overall width of 3 inches. The stamensand styles are blood-red (Code No. 27). The pollen and nectar cups arecanary (Code No. 3). The new wood of this new variety is dark gray incolor, which turns to dark green as the wood ages. The bark is smoothwhen new, and is rough when old.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of poinsettia plant substantiallyas illustrated and described, characterized particularly as to noveltyby its compact growth, self-branching habit, non-drooping foliage, andits ability to maintain its beauty and life at a temperature range of50° F. to 60° F.